Test Drive: Acura MDX remake flubbed electronics

Acura narrowed both the body and the wheel track about an inch because people said the previous MDX felt too bulky, too tricky to park. Hip and shoulder room, especially in the second and third seating rows, suffer. Wieck via Honda

Updated 7:55 p.m. July 7 to clarify how the adjustable driving mode system operates.

Acura has overhauled its popular MDX seven-passenger SUV, changing almost everything but the name, and the result is extraordinary.

Except for the electronics.

Not a trivial matter. So much vehicle operation and satisfaction depends on smooth integration and functioning of electronics nowadays.

Before further bemoaning the electronics, though, a look at what Acura did to the MDX mechanically.

Stretched it a couple of inches and lowered the roofline more than an inch vs. the 2013. Sleeker now, but head room inside suffers.

Narrowed both the body and the wheel track about an inch because people said the previous MDX felt too bulky, too tricky to park. Hip and shoulder room, especially in the second and third seating rows, suffer.

Lengthened the wheelbase. That contributes to a smoother ride and allows the second row to slide fore-aft. Getting into and out of the third row — from both sides now, not just the right side — becomes easier. And the second row can be positioned to accommodate third-row riders or additional cargo.

Used a smaller, 3.5-liter V-6. Last year's was 3.7 liters. That cost 10 horsepower and a little torque but resulted in big gains in mileage ratings. And if anything, the new MDX feels more responsive, not less.

The new V-6 has decent power at low revs and comes on like a party animal as the tachometer climbs beyond 4,000 rpm. The six-speed automatic snaps through the shifts as crisply as any in memory.

Lightened the vehicle more than 200 lbs., which improves the mileage and means the cut in power isn't noticeable.

Made front-wheel drive (FWD) available for the first time. Each trim level up through the top version, with what Acura calls the Advance and Entertainment Packages, is available with FWD for $2,000 less than the AWD version.

The test vehicle was a top-end $57,400, AWD model.

Drove like a dream. Adjustable driving mode, set to "sport," firms the steering feel, changes transmission shift points, delvers more engine sound in the passenger compartment. And on all-wheel-drive models, it adjusts how aggressively the SH-AWD intervenes (except in FWD models, of course).

The SH-AWD system — Acura's acronym for super-handling all-wheel drive — is a beauty. It powers you through corners by over-driving the outside rear wheel, pivoting the MDX smartly while accelerating it forward before you knew you wanted to.

Acura says whatever setting you choose for the driving-mode switch is supposed to be keyed to the memory setting, so you don't need to switch out of normal and back into sport, or comfort, each time you restart the MDX.

Acura says it's satisfied with the high-tech shock absorbers as-is, so those don't change when the driver picks comfort or normal or sport, unlike on previous models that had different shocks.

Other attributes of note:

Comfort. Seats are especially well done. And lateral leg space in front is helped because neither the center console nor the door panels bulge intrusively.

Storage. Console's big enough to handle bulky items. Underfloor bin in the rear is excellent for keeping groceries upright and in place. The lid over it stays put at whatever angle you choose.

The first two gripes to come could be due to the test vehicle's pre-production status, however, Acura says, they never have been mentioned by anybody else, even though vehicle's been driven a lot.

Lowering the windows causes annoying wind whistle that's like what you hear when a rubber seal is loose or missing.

Chrome strips atop each door sill don't align with chrome trim in front, or behind. Such a precise irregularity it almost seems deliberate.

And on the electronics front:

MDX won't reliably stay paired with a Windows Phone. You must re-connect at almost every start-up. MDX does, however, have a soul mate in the iPhone 5.

The test vehicle often misunderstood voice commands.

The navigation makes it confusingly complicated and menu-intensive to set your preferences, such as having the direction you want toward the top of the map. Acura says once you set them, the preferences will store in the memory. Test Drive found that was true with some but not all of the navi display settings.

The test vehicle had heated/cooled front seats. But they were synced to the climate control. To override, you have to dig into a menu and work the touch-screen. The climate control should remember your choice, not force you to override each time.

The way that the 2014 MDX drives and operates mechanically is a grand improvement. But Acura would be better off just copying its electronics/infotainment from those who do it best, General Motors and Chrysler, and paying a royalty.

2014 ACURA MDX DETAILS

What? Full remake of seven-passenger crossover SUV, now sold with front-wheel as well as all-wheel drive.